Welcome to the Family
by Joy Booth
Summary: The Bennetts have a little chat with Mr. Darcy.
1. Chapter 1

It happened about a week before Fitzwilliam Darcy married Elizabeth Bennett. The family and Mr. Darcy were assembled in the sitting room: Mary reading, Kitty and Jane re-trimming a bonnet, Thomas Bennett nursing a brandy, and the happy couple simply conversing quietly. It was sad but, on that particular night, Mr. Bingley had been detained by his "ailing" sister. Mrs. Bennett bustled in and made the suggestions that the young couple take a turn about the garden before Mr. Darcy's return home for the night. They quickly agreed to the scheme and Elizabeth made her way upstairs to collect her shawl.

As soon as the sitting room door shut behind his beloved, Fitzwilliam felt a change in the air. All meaningless occupations were abandoned, as the family eyed him with varying degrees of gravity.

"We haven't much time before my daughter returns," started Mrs. Bennett.

"But we would like to make one thing clear to you," continued Mary.

"Our family is not an important one," Mr. Bennett commented; but when Darcy began to contradict this, he was silenced by the elder man. "We are very aware of our general insignificance; but know this, singularly we are nothing but together we are something very powerful indeed."

Once again, Darcy began to comment only to be silenced, this time by Jane.

"I believe my family is simply trying to make clear to you that our strength is in numbers. You may be related to fine Lords and Ladies, but everyone answers to the law. And in this area, we are the law." Darcy was somewhat amazed that the woman speaking to him now was the same woman he thought so cold many months ago. Her eyes burned with a severity that made him believe she would, personally, see him flogged.

"I do not believe you are aware that my father was a marksman in his day." Commented Kitty innocuously.

"Or that our great uncle on our mother's side is the town magistrate," continued Mary, "and his second son is the rector of Longbourn; among his duties, I am sure you know, are keeping of death records and the internment of bodies for burial."

"So just remember, as long as our daughter is happy, none of what was discussed this evening should ever need reach her ears." Mr. Bennett finished, giving him one finally stern look before all returned to their previous employment. Not half a minute later, Elizabeth finally returned.

"Jane, did you move my shawl? I have looked everywhere for it and produced no results." Elizabeth huffed. The huff would have been very endearing to Mr. Darcy had he not still been consumed in calming his racing heart.

"Oh, silly me," commented Jane with laughter Darcy could now recognize as fake, "Here it is by the window. I was chilled early this morning. I hope you do not mind that I borrowed it."

"No, of course not," returned Elizabeth with a smile, then turning to Darcy asked if he was ready. He sputtered for a moment looking around the room for signs that the previous conversation had not been a hallucination, but everyone seemed to be focused on their own doings.

"Go on then," said Mr. Bennett, "and have her back before dark."

Before Darcy could comment, Elizabeth boldly grabbed his hand and led him toward that nice little wilderness they had so often found themselves in of late. They walked quietly for some time, arm in arm, not for lack of things to say but simply enjoying the company and the quiet. Darcy's mind slowly processed all the details of his talk the Bennetts. After some time, he finally got up the nerve to ask Elizabeth what was on his mind.

"How good a shot is your father?" He asked, wondering how much of their little story was a bluff.

"I have never seen him shoot but we are never short on venison, even when other families are." She replied.

They came to pass the same bench for the third time and so Elizabeth suggested they sit for a bit before heading back to the house. Time passed and Darcy tried to organize his thoughts into innocent questions.

"Would you tell me more about your mother's family? Does she have any uncles still living." He asked.

"Oh yes, Uncle Robert, he is wonderful. He works in town and is one of my favorite. We often discuss his cases once he has rendered a verdict. He says that I am the daughter he never knew he always wanted. His wife is Aunt Edna and she makes the best preserves you have ever tasted. They have two sons. The oldest is a scientific gardener who works to figure out which plants are poisonous and their second son maintains the living at Longbourn rectory." Her eyes seemed to light up in a way he had only seen when she talked about Jane.

If anything, this was worse than he thought. Not only could they sentence him to death and make the body disappear, they could simply poison him with a poison yet unknown by the world at large.

"I hope they will be at the wedding." He replied politely. He might have been concerned for his life had he not remember a very important fact. He had long before pledged his life to the happiness of his beloved. As he thought about the Bennetts, he had to give them credit for protecting his love. Maybe when someone came to take his beloved sister away, he would use their scare tactics. Until then, he would be glad that Elizabeth had so many people who cared about her.

"I am sure they will be glad to meet you, but I think it is time to head back to the house." Elizabeth commented, pausing thoughtfully before adding, "Would you mind heading back to Netherfield after dinner tomorrow, my family and I need to have a word with Mr. Bingley."

"No problem at all," he replied, "I will not even warn him."

"Warn him?" she questioned, "What could possibly happen to him in our home." Her eyes glinted dangerously as she said it though. Darcy said nothing but made a note to have a brandy ready when his friend returned the next evening.

_A/N: So updating, april 2013, with the help of my amazing beta from another story I am uploading a more editted version of this story, Also I am thinking about writing a follow-up or two, but that will probably be sometime out as I just started the Healing Properties of pemberley and that is my main focus right now, reviews are always appreciated. thanks!_


	2. Mr Bingley gets what's coming to him

Charles Bingley was a man who was easily pleased with most situations in life. This trait had only become more prevalent after a certain delightful announcement. He had recently taken to smiling until his cheeks hurt and then he would look over at his beautiful, kind hearted, smiling fiancé and smile more. It was all too much, too wonderful to imagine. His life with the future Jane Bingley was looking very bright. That was until about a week before the wedding.

Everything on the day in question had gone swimmingly. He had escaped his sisters' pestering rather early and thus had time before dinner for a quick turn about the garden with his beloved, his best friend and his favorite new sister. Dinner was a lavish affair, with several of both his and Darcy's favored dishes on the table. The men adjourned to the library for a brandy, which was a fine vintage from Darcy's private stock, and when they rejoined the ladies in the sitting room, a game of charades was suggested.

Always one to be diverted, Charles and the others quickly agreed to the scheme. All, of course, except Darcy who professed a general dislike of such frivolities and commented that he had some business correspondence that needed his attention back at Netherfield. He was easily excused and Miss Elizabeth saw him to the door.

Upon returning, Elizabeth remarked that someone should make up the necessary slips of paper. Kitty commented that Jane always had the best ideas and would be the best choice. Jane, ever the peace maker, agreed to be the creator of the game and said she would go into the library and return in moments with the items needed.

Charles was disappointed to be without his beloved for even a moment and his eyes followed her to the door oblivious to all other surroundings.

That did not last long, however, as his thoughts were interrupted by Mrs. Bennett.

"Now then Mr. Bingley, as you know, I am excessively fond of you and find you to have all the makings of an exceedingly delightful son-in-law; however we feel there are some things you might wish to know before joining our family."

Mr. Bennett took up his wife's lead with less affection. "We find you, in general, to be the sort of man who could make our Jane very happy; however, you should know that if you do not fulfill this commission, it could become quite unpleasant for you."

"I have on many occasions noted your lightness of foot and handsome features," continued Kitty. "It would such a shame for an unfortunate accident to ruin that for you; but as you know, in this part of the country, accidents due befall even the most seasoned sportsman."

"Why just the other day, our cousin, the rector of Longbourn, lay to rest a man not five and twenty who was tragically injured during a freak hunting accident." Mary commented. Under her breath, she murmured loud enough for everyone to hear, "and by his own father in law…"

At this point, Charles had a surreal feeling about the entire exchange. He had always thought the Bennett family to be so kind and welcoming. Never, in his life, would he have imagined them all but threatening his very existence; but alas this was not over yet and his previously thought greatest ally was giving him a rather predatory glare.

"Mr. Bingley," Elizabeth began in a measured tone. "I would not wish you to feel uneasy about what has been said here tonight." The look in her eye however, gave him rather the opposite impression. "We only wish you to know that Jane's happiness is a greatest concern and we are not so easily forgiving of trespasses as my sister has been in the past."

"And we will be visiting frequently to ensure that Jane is best pleased with her situation." Mrs. Bennett continued in what Charles had previously thought of as her amiable tone. "Oh, and I am prodigiously looking forward to being a grandmother BEFORE I am old and gray." She finished with a smile that had only been seen on her face when consuming her favorite puddings.

Luckily, Jane took this moment to return with a basket of slips in hand.

"Who is ready for some diversion?" She asked happily.

**Later that night-**

Charles returned to Netherfield in a perplexed mood. How could a family be so amiable all the time and then, for one conversation, scare the living daylights out of him? He planned to head to bed early due to a frightful headache but as he passed the library he saw that Darcy was in fact on a chaise reading a book and enjoying a glass of his finest single malt.

Charles slumped into a chair across from his friend and sighed heavily. Darcy handed him a glass without a glance away from his book. Charles took several sips from his glass, before he felt steady enough to speak.

"I had a strange night." He commented vaguely.

"Oh?" Darcy questioned.

"The Bennetts, they, or rather we, had an odd conversation." Bingley still wasn't quite sure how to or even if he should discuss this with his friend.

"I can imagine." Darcy returned.

"I truly do not think that you can," Bingley shook his head, "I think that they threatened to kill me." He finally admitted.

"Oh, I am quite certain they did just that." Darcy chuckled finally closing his book and looking into the ashen face for his friend and future brother. "I had a very similar talk with them just yesterday."

"How can you be sure? Wait, they already got to you?" Bingley asked, all astonishment. Threatening Darcy was well beyond what he thought the Bennetts capable of.

"Yes, your precious angel was practically a valkyrie in defense of Elizabeth." Darcy commented with some mirth.

"Jane?" Bingley questioned, paling further. "Darcy, how can you laugh at this?"

"Think of it from their prospective. They are only trying to protect their daughters from an unhappy future. In fact, I am thinking of inviting them to come speak to any suitors that may arrive for Georgiana. They would most certainly chase away any undesirables." Darcy stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, in that case, you should know that your future wife is no slouch either when it comes to the art of intimidation." Bingley said, his heart finally lightening for the first time since the dreaded conversation had commenced.

"Yes, she really is something, is she not?" Darcy commented with a hint of pride and a twinkle in his eye.


End file.
